Osseon has announced that it has brought the first steerable balloon for the treatment of vertebral compression fractures to market. It says its Osseoflex SB allows the physician to steer and place the balloon precisely where it is needed.

A press release reported that G Brooks Brennan, an interventional radiologist with Radisphere National Radiology Group (USA), performed the first steerable balloon osseoplasty with the Osseoflex SB steerable balloon at the Lima Memorial Hospital (Lima, USA), in April this year, to treat a patient with an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.

According to the press release, Osseon’s steerable technology requires only one entry point thus minimising the number of entry points the patient must endure. By requiring only one incision, the company’s products not only reduce the entry site pain by half but also reduce the potential for neurologic complications.

Brennan stated “The patient did well with the procedure. She had increased mobility and significantly decreased fracture-related pain immediately after the procedure, with continued pain reduction three weeks after the procedure”. She stated that patient has “significantly improved,” adding “The advantage of a steerable balloon, from my perspective, is that it allows for more reliable distribution of the cement across the vertebral body, while only requiring a single pedicle access. This reduces procedure/sedation time, particularly important in this patient population and their associated comorbidities”.